A covering member for an electronic device such as a camera, a portable telephone, and an IC recorder, or an electronic device such as a remote control for consumer electronic products such as a television set, a video recorder, an air conditioner, and a projector constitutes a casing that contains built-in electronic parts or optical parts, and contributes to the design for outer appearance of these devices.
Conventionally, these covering members are made up of a relatively thin plate member, a shell member, or the like, as for the shape in order to reduce the size and the weight of the devices, and are generally produced of the materials such as synthetic resin or light metal, which are suitable for mass production.
On the other hand, materials such as synthetic resin or light metal have a disadvantage in that they are difficult to hold comfortably in the hand, due to lack of hygroscopicity. Accordingly, a proposal has been made that as a covering material, natural materials such as wood or bamboo be used which tend to be comfortable in the hand and are endowed with excellent hygroscopicity and delicate features which provide good sensation.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-64021 (pages 2-4, and FIG. 1) discloses a component material for constructing a casing for electronic devices which is formed of a wooden material, and whose surface is carbonized. The Publication also discloses a camera covered by a front cover and a rear cover using a wooden material, both being a thin shell type, where a circuit unit and an imaging unit are attached to a chassis. The front cover and the rear cover are connected together and secured to the chassis.